With cyber crime on the rise in the state, the Odisha Police on Thursday advised people not to charge their mobile phones at public charging stations.
The advisory was issued after police discovered the possibility of data theft from mobile phones using modern devices at public charging stations.
“Do not charge your mobiles in public places like mobile charging station, USB power station etc. Cyber fraudsters are trying to steal your personal information from mobile and install malware inside your phone,” Odisha Police said in a tweet. .
Also Read: Cybercrime in 2021 up 5%, most common motive for fraud: Report
Cyber experts thought that stealing data from mobile phones is possible through ‘juice jacking’. They said fraudsters can upload malware to public USB charging stations to access electronic devices while they are charging.
Police said that although some people were found to carry their own chargers or power banks, many depend on public charging stations such as bus stands, railway stations, malls and other places.
Earlier on September 4, the Odisha Police had also warned the public through a tweet to stay alert as fraudsters always try to access your SIM card or copy it.
“Fraudsters often call you pretending to be mobile operator staff and try to convince you with SIM upgrades or benefits. So be aware and stay safe online,” the police wrote on Twitter.
About 146 cyber crimes were reported under Bhubaneswar Urban Police District in 2021 compared to 108 in 2020.
